Tennessee Football: Vols Ranked No. 11 in ESPN Writer Mark Schlabach’s Way-Too-Early Top 25

Mark Schlabach of ESPN has the 2016 Tennessee football team ranked No. 11 in his Way-Too-Early 2016 Top 25, giving the Volunteers a major endorsement.

The rebuilding process is over. Barring injury, Butch Jones’s Tennessee Vols should be right in the thick of the national championship race in 2016, his fourth year on the job.

Related Story: 5 Things Bob Shoop Brings to Vols as Defensive Coordinator

And a Georgia Bulldogs graduate who hates the Vols said as much.

ESPN Writer Mark Schlabach released his Way-too-Early 2016 College Football Top 25 rankings on Tuesday following the Alabama Crimson Tide’s fourth national championship in seven years.

The Vols were ranked just behind the Houston Cougars, and just ahead of the Ohio State Buckeyes.

They were the third highest ranked SEC team behind Alabama, who was ranked No. 2, and the LSU Tigers, who were ranked No. 7. Here is what Schlabach had to say of the Vols.

"After winning nine games this past season, the mortar finally seems dry on UT coach Butch Jones’ three-year rebuilding job. With nine starters expected back on offense and as many as eight on defense, the Vols might be the favorites in the SEC East this coming season."

Of course, things could change, for better or for worse, depending on what happens with Cameron Sutton, Alvin Kamara, and Jalen Reeves-Maybin. All three could be leaving early for the NFL Draft.

But to be fair, Schlabach already took into account Sutton’s likely departure in his preview.

The good news is that Schlabach has been pretty much on point with the Vols in these rankings. Last year, he had them ranked at No. 23 in his way-too-early rankings, and they did finish No. 22 in the AP Poll.

He never had them ranked before that, even in 2008, when the Vols still opened the year in most people’s Top 25 rankings before falling to 5-7.

More volunteers: Vols' AP Top 25 Finish More than Just a Number

However, Tennessee fans are likely thinking about more than a No. 11 ranking. This is the year in which they are back, and as a result it should be a year in which they are expected to make a run.

Let’s hope Schlabach’s ranking is simply the floor.